KAJANG, April 20 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) will call Penang Road Transport Department (RTD) director and top management to assist in the investigations into corruption cases involving the department officers if necessary.
MACC deputy chief commissioner (operations) Datuk Seri Azam Baki said Penang RTD senior officers suspected of involvement in the case would be called only after the process of recording statements from the detained officers completed.
“We will collect evidence and obtain verification, and if it is necessary, will call RTD Penang senior officers pertaining to this case.
“They (the Penang RTD director and top management) will usually be called after we are done with recording statements from all detained RTD officers,” he said.
Azam said this in a press conference after officiating the shooting competition between the corporate communication unit of the enforcement agencies, held at the Kajang Prison College shooting range here.
Azam said no less than 22 Penang RTD enforcement officers had been called this week to provide statements to facilitate the investigations.
On Wednesday, the George Town magistrate’s court ordered 30 suspects, including 24 RTD enforcement personnel, to be remanded for seven days to assist in the probe into their alleged involvement in corruption by protecting lorry drivers who committed various traffic offences around Penang.
Earlier reports said that the detained RTD officers, bearing ranks between Grade 19 and 32, were believed to have received monthly payments of between RM10,000 and RM32,000 as inducement for not taking action against the lorry drivers involved, and for leaking information on RTD operations before they were held.
The lorries concerned were supplied with special stickers prepared by tontos, so they could be easily identified and exempted from enforcement actions. — Bernama
